christie smith is live in sunnyvale. christie, we're being told you just spoke with a man who actually made that 911 call. >> reporter: yeah, that's right. that one neighbor says, look, i did what anyone would do in this situation. he says he saw a burning home. he figured there were probably people inside. he banged on the door, couldn't get an answer. he even got a water hose and sprayed water on it. the woman who lived here was unable to get out of that room. >> and then i see flames in the window. so stopped the car, get out. >> reporter: michael had just finished walking his dog when he spotted a fire and did his best to help. >> start banging on the door, ringing the doorbell. and no answer. i don't hear anybody saying, what? or answering the door. i then hear the sirens. >> reporter: it was before midnight inside the plaza del ray mobile home community in

sunnyvale. among the first to arrive, a police officer. >> the patrol officer came to the door, went inside and pulled them out. >> reporter: a unit in the rear was burning, smoke detectors blaring as firefighters made their way in. >> they went into rescue mode. weren't able to get all the way inside the house. there was one person that was rescued out, a male occupant. and then as they knocked down the fire, they found a female resident in the back bedroom. >> reporter: investigators believe that's where the fire may have started. the woman died at the scene and police say the man rented from the woman. neighbors tell us she was known to smoke often. though early on a cause was still under investigation. >> it's sad. especially when somebody doesn't get out, it's too bad. >> reporter: and i just made a phone call and still no word yet on a cause. the victim's identity hasn't been released yet either but we're expected to have that

information released some time later today. reporting live in sunnyvale, christie smith, nbc bay area news. >> christie, thank you very much. also in sunnyvale, highway 101 northbound now back open following an early morning crash that just snarled traffic up for more than four hours there. chp tells us a big rig crashed right into the median on 101 just north of lawrence expressway. it happened at about 2:45 this morning. that driver telling officers somebody simply cut him off and that forced him to swerve and lose control. the crash ended up damaging the rig's fuel tank which then spilled out onto that roadway. crews were able to eventually clean things up and get that mess out of the way. and the highway reopened just after about 7:00 this morning. the good news here, nobody was hurt. this morning, controversy continues to surround the 49ers and their quest for six. the team is now on damage control after cornerback chris culliver's anti-gay comments gained national attention.

comcast sportsnet's reporter has reaction from the team in new orleans this morning. >> reporter: chris culliver made national news yesterday when his comments were released yesterday as off-the-cuff comments where culliver said he would be opposed to and uncomfortable playing with a gay teammate in the nfl. last night, the 49ers released a statement. but today, we heard the 49ers talk on camera for the first time regarding culliver's sentiments. >> i do believe that there wasn't malice in his heart. he's not that kind of person. he's not an ugly person. he's not a discriminating person. that's not what he -- he may have heard talk like that and may have thought that that was what -- opinions are that he learned and repeated those.

he regrets that. >> culliver is a great kid, a great guy. i love having him on our team. he's really helped our team be where we are. so i know he's just young and it's unfortunate that it came off the way that it came off. but like i said, i know that he didn't mean it in his heart. >> reporter: it will be difficult for chris culliver to distance himself from those comments. he did release a statement last night in part saying the derogatory comments i made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in his head and not how he really feels. he went on to say that it took him seeing them in print to realize how hurtful and ugly those comments are. we're tracking this story and much more from new orleans. this is what's coming up on comcast sportsnet bay area. "chronicle live" at 5:00 p.m. we'll be live from new orleans for "49ers central." that does it from new orleans.

also new at 11:00, the nfl and federal officials say they've seized more than $13 million worth of fake merchandise. authorities with i.c.e. say operation red zone started on september 1st and targeted shipments coming into the u.s. over several months. crews seized fake jerseys, hats, t-shirts, jackets and other souvenirs in the sting. 23 people have been arrested. the operation is ongoing and will continue through super bowl weekend. now a little beauty to throw your way. some bay area artists showing their 49er pride in a major way. we caught up with steve and tim very early this morning as they were putting their finishing touches on their latest creation. you can see it there. a mural high up in the mission district. you can see that cool stream of gold pouring right onto the football helmet with the words "the city bleeds gold." >> we just want to do something different versus a logo. and in the saying, that's what came to mind.

makes sense, the building is pouring gold and forms a helmet. >> gold-blooded never felt so good. the artists have worked on several commission pieces for fans and public murals in san francisco and in santa clara. they say this one has taken them about a day and a half to finish. that's pretty fast work. who's got it better than us? >> nobody! >> that is right. nbc bay area will have live reports from new orleans all day long. you can also stay up to date on all the good stuff happening on nbcbayarea.com. and tomorrow, be sure to join us, the big man live at the ferry building. al roker, that's right. looking and feeling good. having the 49er fans up there to join us. come on out starting at 4:30 a.m. you can be on the "today" show starting at 3:30 a.m. our time. >> i love that he was giving out love to us on the "today" show, talking about nbc bay area. >> he's on a roll after the inauguration last week.

al roker got love from big barack obama and the v.p. >> the v.p. joe. now giving it to us. >> i get to go out there and rub elbows with him. i know you've interviewed him before. >> al's a good dude. >> the executives here at nbc bay area are a little concerned for good reason. 11:08. a good-looking day shaping up. a beautiful shot to show you here. just doesn't get any better than this. in addition to the niners going to the super bowl, we are getting spoiled with temps in the 70s today. and already holding on to conditions out there where you don't even need a jacket. places like livermore at 55 degrees. 56 in sunnyvale and 54 degrees right here in beautiful san jose. we still have about three to four hours of additional warming to go. slated to hit the 70s. we'll tell you where and when this beautiful weather is going to break. we have rain on the way. >> we're going to embrace it while it's here. squeeze it real hard. >> that's what you try to do. live every minute of it. >> thanks.

the three men accused of tying up an elderly couple in the almaden valley and ransacking their home and stealing their cars will be in court today. james palmerson, ezra santana and miguel marez are scheduled to enter pleas this afternoon. robbery, kidnapping and fal imprisonment are among the charges they face. the district attorney's office says the men carefully planned the attack. police believe the men were also involved in a three-day crime spree flt bay area before last week's home invasion. up next, a tense standoff in alabama involving a murder suspect and a 5-year-old boy, still continues after more than 40 hours. we have an update for you on that boy's condition coming up next. plus, only on nbc, the wife of one of the most powerful men in california making her mark on hollywood. jennifer siebel-newsom opens up about her oscar-nominated film and about her husband's political future. why facebook employees and

investors don't necessarily understand facebook. and we're feeling a little remote. that's coming up.

happening now, a tense standoff between a murder suspect and police in alabama is now if its third day. this morning, police say they have been communicating with the man through a pvc pipe that extends to the underground bunker where he is hiding. 65-year-old jimmy lee dykes is holding a 5-year-old boy hostage after allegedly grabbing him from a school bus and shooting the driver on tuesday. police say the boy is not hurt and they've been able to give him medicine and coloring books as they continue to negotiate with dykes. president obama's choice to become the next secretary of defense faced some tough questions on capitol hill this morning during his confirmation hearing. republicans grilled chuck hagel on the 2007 surge.

he insisted that was not the only issue that defined him. hagel also reaffirmed his support for israeli security and his stance that all options must be on the table to prevent iran from gaining nuclear capability. time to check on business and tech. shares in facebook falling this morning even after the company says it made far more money than investors expected. scott mcgrew, you say investors don't get facebook. >> no, they don't. we've never dealt with a social network that makes $1.6 billion every quarter. there's nothing to compare it to to say, how does facebook compare to the rest of the social network industry. facebook made more money that analysts expected. the stock fell 6% on the hope this morning, currently down around 2%. wall street trying to digest yesterday's shocker that the american economy actually shrank last quarter. tomorrow we get the january jobs report.

so there's a lot of numbers to chew over. and i don't know if you're remotely interested in this, but a new picture of a new remote from comcast called the x1. the big deal is -- the reason it's resonating with tech bloggers, it has 29 buttons. the current remote has 53. they've been able to cut it in half. we are owned by comcast. still i think it's pretty cool. the engineers tell the philadelphia inquirer, we don't use about half the buttons on the current remote. we should get it soon. >> fewer options, in this case, is better. >> absolutely. it's nice the buttons are bigger. the tiny little ones -- >> you're getting old. >> i am, man. it's tough. good news on the horizon. meteorologist christina loren, i know you're counting down the hours until you are live with al roker out at the ferry building tomorrow. >> i am so excited. jon kelley, old never looked so good. good morning to you. taking a live look. this is a hazy sky over san jose. we're not sparing the air.

we have moderate air quality. our air quality could be suffering quite a bit more with offshore flow firmly in place. we're going to enjoy really comfortable temperatures. 57 in napa. 52 right now currently in san francisco. these aren't your highs. 60 in gilroy. 54 degrees in san jose. we are headed towards a gorgeous afternoon. lots of sunshine, a little hazy out there. not too bad. we still have good air quality. tomorrow probably seeing our air quality suffer just a little bit more. as of now, no spare the air day. 67 in livermore. 68 for gilroy. and 68 in san jose. we have a beautiful afternoon shaping up for your outdoor plans. and these conditions, they are going to be short-lived. make sure you get out there and enjoy it. high pressure firmly in control, taking that storm track well to our north. it will return but not until next week. we have some showers on the way. for your friday, here's what you can expect, a cold start to the day, 30s and 40s, little bit of hazy sunshine out there yet

again. then we're going to see a few more 70s tomorrow. get ready for that. as we get into the weekend, super bowl sunday looking really comfortable. temperatures holding on to the 60s. and then next week, monday into tuesday, clouds increase. we get some showers on wednesday. but at this point, we actually need that rain. it's been a really, really dry month so far. last day of january, hard to believe it, back over to you. >> time flies when you're having fun. thanks so much. jennifer siebel-newsom is married to one of the most powerful men in california. but her latest project is grabbing headlines for herself in hollywood and also in our nation's capital. tonight, siebel-newsom will speak publicly about a film she's a part of that gives a voice to women sworn to secrecy by a code of conduct they no longer believe in. we had the opportunity to sit down with her ahead of tonight's event to talk about the film that could mean oscar gold. it's a story you'll see first only on nbc bay area. >> i think this film has put the

department of defense in a position where they had really take action. >> the department of defense has a history of covering up sexual offense problems. >> she's dabbled in hollywood as an actress. now jennifer siebel-newsom is making hollywood headlines as an award-winning filmmaker. >> i want other girls to see that i'm challenging myself intellectually, that i'm getting behind important causes. >> reporter: her latest cause is what's being dubbed the most shocking cover-up in the united states military. >> everything changed the day that i was raped. >> reporter: siebel-newsom is one of the executive producers of "the invisible war." the film exposes the epidemic of sexual assaults in the u.s. military and it's not just women who are getting violated. though, according to the film, more than 20% of female veterans have been sexually assaulted while serving. >> about 500,000 women have been sexually assaulted in the u.s. military. if we can prevent sexual assault in the military, i believe we

can prevent it or reduce it in our larger culture. >> reporter: siebel-newsom isn't new to the art of empowering women through film. she wrote, produced and directed her first movie in 2011. >> misrepresentation explores t this issue. >> reporter: with the academy awards right around the corner, she is hoping to add to her collection of awards and bring home another named oscar. but she's not in it for the gold. >> i do believe now that i think 10% of the armed services have seen the film, i do believe we're going to start to see change. >> reporter: between her and her politicking husband, gavin newsom, change is inevitable. what about you and gavin, being governor and first lady? >> i'm really proud of him. i think he'd be great. >> reporter: is that where he's headed? >> i don't know where he's headed.

>> i also asked her about gavin potentially running for president. she says -- >> he's a rock star. >> he is. but she said that's a long ways off. they're also expecting their third child. >> very, very nice. >> in the summertime. they'll have two girls now and a boy. >> 2013, big for the newsoms. congratulations. still ahead, a battery blunder. investigators examining the dreamliner's battery charger. whoo what's next for the troubled aircraft. and farewell to "30 rock."

that boeing 787 dreamliner forced to make an energy landing earlier this month now having its battery charger sent back to the u.s. for closer investigation. japanese authorities sending that battery unit back to its u.s. manufacturers for more tests. both japan and the u.s. right now investigating problems with that main battery overheating which ultimately led to the emergency landing. so far, investigators at this point have not been able to figure out exactly what caused the overheating. this one's an interesting story here. one of the most famous newspapers in the entire world may have been penetrated by chinese hackers. officials from "the new york times" say over the past four months, hackers stole reporters' passwords and investigation files from its network system. security experts hired by the paper tracked the attacks to china and found some of the computers are linked to the chinese military.

these attacks ironically happening during the very same time period as a times investigation detailing how chinese premier has built a $2 billion fortune. tonight marks the end of the road for the comedy "30 rock." a final one-hour episode airs tonight with some celebrity cameos and a few tears. >> jane cried so much these last two weeks, we went over budget by about $1.5 million. >> the show earned 14 emmys over seven seasons including three straight for best comedy. among the guest stars expected to appear in tonight's finale, nancy pelosi, ice t. and salma hayek also making appearances. up next, some predictions for sunday's big ball game. we're going to get a chance to check out who's more accurate. >> predictions, the niners. [ female announcer ] safeway presents real big deals

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welcome back. taking a live look overlooking the san francisco bay from high atop san bruno mountain. you can see daly city there. no fog to report. a very rare occurrence, especially this time of year. we are also going to see temperatures today unseasonably warm for the final day of january. 10 to 15 degrees above average in some cases. that means 68 in san jose. 70 in santa cruz. rounding out the week with wonderful, comfy conditions. on saturday and sunday, temperatures are going to come down just a touch. into the mid to low 60s, monday into tuesday, staying comfortable. then the rain moves in on wednesday. but next week, that's right, marla, the men across the bay area will finally emerge from their man caves. i'm looking forward to it. >> i'll be emerging from the same place as well. we finish up here going back to the 49ers and their quest for six and a story that warms marla tellez's heart.

jimmy fallon making the call for the super bowl. >> take a look. >> you have to pick who's going to win the super bowl. are you ready? 32, hut, hut! not all at once. all right. not all at once. >> unfortunately, they went for the ravens although they're adorable puppies. you are wrong. >> bad dogs. >> yeah, bad dogs. ank you very much for being with us. hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol

as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios ♪ the one and only, cheerios mr. geiss, i'm so sorry. i just found out that you're here. i'd have my assistant sit on his naughty stool if he didn't love it so much. no apologies. i'm just admiring your bulb cover. thank you, sir. why don't you, uh-- are you all right? it's the diabetes.

i'm light-headed all the time. i can't see a damn thing. we're all getting older, sir. tell me about it. my baby girl is getting married. she and her fiancé are out choosing floral arrangements right now. [chuckles] fire island, really? i'd love to come out. fight the surf together, light a fire, check each other for ticks. kathy, i think i just found the perfect place for our honeymoon. you're getting a fine son-in-law, sir. banks would do anything for the company. i know there's no love lost between you and devin. you've both been competing for my job for almost a year. hanging in there while so many others cracked under the pressure, like bob duncan. the head of the stress ball division hanged himself. now it's come down to you and banks. this decision was not easy, jack. banks is joining my family. i understand, sir. but i'm not running a family, i'm running a business, so i'm going with you. congratulations, you're going to run this company.